The Lady of the Wolf
by Minute Maid Apple Juice
Summary: Xanthe, Kel's daughter, finds love at the palace, but when an old prophecy comes to life, it is up to Xanthe to save all of Tortall...and herself. ^_^
1. Disclaimer

Disclaimer: Anything that is not Tamora Pierce's is mine. Everything else is hers. There. 


	2. The Wolf

"I don't want to go." Xanthe said as she strode out of the dining hall and into the kitchen.  
  
"You need to spend more time with children your age! It isn't right staying in your room all day." Kel nagged chasing after her.  
  
"I'm not going to the palace!"  
  
"You will."  
  
"No, I wont."  
  
"You will."  
  
"No. I wont."  
  
"You are not admitted to an opinion here. You are going to Corus and that is that. I already have spoken to Neal and you will be staying with him and Yuki." Kel said in her Raoul voice.  
  
"This is not fair." Xanthe said knowing she had lost.  
  
"I never said it was."  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"You're actually trusting her to ride alone?" Dom asked as he and his wife watched their daughter trot away.  
  
Kel looked up at him. "The sparrows will come back here if she tries anything."  
  
"Ah." He said as he lightly kissed her forehead.  
  
"She's growing up you know."  
  
"That's what scares me."  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
As soon as she was out of her parent's view she nudged Blaze into a gallop. Soon her horse would wear out and she would be forced to rest. It will take longer to get there if she galloped and rested then if she were to trot the whole way.  
  
Sure enough she stopped an hour later.  
  
When she finally got to the gates of Corus she came to a halt. She had arrived earlier then she thought she would. Instead of riding into town, she walked her mount into the forest. The sparrows protested, but Xanthe insisted that she wasn't leaving.  
  
She was dressed in her riding dress with the top skirt cut at her waist on the sides and the underskirt cut in front and back giving off the illusion of a regular dress. She had on a long, brown, leather, riding jacket that was cut in the back. With her dress white and the jacket brown she looked common, but if you looked at the Raven sword and dagger, you'd know that she was anything but.  
  
It's true that her parents weren't the richest in the world, but they were respected among the realm and earned more then plenty.  
  
Xanthe never wanted to be a knight and her mother didn't want her to go to the convent, so she stayed at home, never making any friends. She spent most of her time reading and started to resemble Neal, thus she was called 'Meathead the Younger' by her father. She had her father's eyes and her mother's long, brownish hair that was somehow silky.  
  
Now at the age of seventeen she found herself jumping over logs ever so gracefully. She snorted in laughter.  
  
"I am a meathead." She whispered to herself.  
  
The trees were tangling her loose hair, and the bushes grabbed at her dress, she decided that she must look awful. It was true that her dress was spell against dirt stains and her jacket, which was a little bit longer the her dress, was just leather, the dress was torn and muddy and she was in no position to go to the palace. She would have to take a side trip to Lalasa's shop.  
  
She let Blaze graze and walked around. The forest was beautiful, but she couldn't shake off this feeling. She was being watched. She turned around slowly to find a wolf sitting on a rock behind her, staring at her. Something it it's eyes made her hand drop from her dagger's hilt. Its eyes were human.  
  
"Do you understand me?" she asked cautiously.  
  
The wolf nodded.  
  
"Can you speak?"  
  
The wolf shook his head.  
  
"Why are you staring at me?" something in the wolf's face made her quickly add, "Right, yes or no questions. I forgot."  
  
She took a step forward.  
  
"Do you have any friends?"  
  
No.  
  
"Neither do I. Can we be friends?"  
  
Yes.  
  
"Will you let me touch you?"  
  
The wolf walked over and licked her out stretched hand. Xanthe scratched behind its ears.  
  
"You're truly amazing. Do you know that?"  
  
Yes.  
  
She laughed.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
After Lalasa touched up her dress and Xanthe brushed her hair, she walked up to Neal's living quarters. She didn't need to knock on the door, because as soon as she walked up the door sung open and Maya came running out. She nearly knocked her down when she jumped and hugged her.  
  
Neal came out laughing as he pried the nine-year-old off.  
  
"Xaneeeee!! You're here!" Maya said happily.  
  
"Come on in my fellow meathead." Neal chuckled letting her in.  
  
Maybe this trip wasn't going to be so bad.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Aynsley walked down the hallway passing Neal's noisy door. He must have company, he thought.  
  
As he walked he ran his fingers over the back part of his right ear where Xanthe had scratched him. She had told him her name when she was petting him. When she left, he turned back into human form and found his clothes.  
  
Xanthe. X-A-N-T-H-E. It was a beautiful name-almost as beautiful as her. She was kind, friendly, and perfect.  
  
He was in love with Xanthe.  
  
Xanthe.  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: This is my first attempt at a Tortall fic. Be kind. If you have any title suggestions please tell me.  
  
Also check out my COM fic. Thanx!!! ^_^  
  
I also want to thanks to Lady Katharine Heartspark for the details. I am always open to suggestion. 


	3. The Ball Part One

Xanthe couldn't sleep. In two days her parents would come and there would be a ball. It would be her first one where she would be 'presented' with the other fresh-from-the-convent ladies. If only she could be with her wolf, Ira was what she called him, and tell him everything. She had told it a lot including her name, and it listened intently. It had been so patient to her. He made her laugh when all it did was say yes and no.  
  
She would probably never see it again. The thought of that made her sad. If only it had been human-a human guy perhaps. She shook her head ridding her mind of such things. The wolf was a wolf that understood humans. Lots of animals did, but the wolf's eyes. It was something she would always remember.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Aynsley woke up with a smile on his face. He tried to get rid of it, but his mother was too quick.  
  
"What's wrong with your face? You are smiling. What happened to the unhappy boy I once knew?"  
  
"He became a happy man." He opened the door and shut it before he went to go talk to Rye.  
  
He was his friend, if you could call him that. He came and went. When he was with other people he steered clear, but when nobody was around he was as chummy as he could be.  
  
He pounded on the door and it swung open.  
  
"Some people sleep you know." Rye muttered grumpily.  
  
"I met her!"  
  
"Who?"  
  
"The woman I've been waiting for."  
  
"Come again?"  
  
Aynsley clunked him on the head.  
  
"I met a girl you dolt!"  
  
"You met, as in talked to, a girl?"  
  
"Well, I didn't speak, but she chatted all the same."  
  
"Right. I'm going back to bed now and if you wake me up again I will gut you."  
  
"It must be sad being you."  
  
"Go!"  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Ten minutes later Rye awoke to a knocking on the door.  
  
"I told you I'd gut you if you..." He trailed off.  
  
He had swung open the door and in front of him was the prettiest girl he had ever seen.  
  
"Sorry to wake you up, Sir, but I seem to have lost my way. This place is too big and I can't find my way back. Could you possibly tell me where Sir Neal's room is?"  
  
Why the maiden had addressed Neal so informally, Rye didn't know or cared.  
  
"Straight down the hall milady. Take a left by the maids' rooms."  
  
"Thank you." She turned and left leaving Rye very dazed. He went back to bed thinking that he was seeing things.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
The two days passed and Xanthe had managed to sneak out once to talk to Ira. She did not tell him about her family or the ball, thinking that a wolf would not be interested in those things. When she had spaced off Ira nudged her and snapped her back into reality.  
  
"You're lucky. You don't have to worry about being presented and getting married off."  
  
Ira gave a you'd-be-surprised look.  
  
She snorted and said, "No really! I want to fall in love and marry because I want to. Not because my lord says so and those dreadful nuns! Have you seen them? Of course you haven't! They are the creepiest things I have ever seen. They prepare young women to marry like a butcher would to cows before slaughtering. Even though I never went to the convent when I pass them in the hall they threatened me with their cane if I don't walk straight! My knuckles hurt just thinking about it!"  
  
The wolf seemed to be snorting with laughter, but it came out as cough like growl.  
  
"I will probably never see you again once I get married." She saddened at the thought, "I'd rather be with you then any man in the realm. You have the most amazing eyes."  
  
Ira slumped as if saying he'd miss her too.  
  
"Farewell, Ira. May our paths cross again."  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Xanthe couldn't believe she had agreed to this. Her silver-blue dress was tight and the neck was too low for her comfort. Her hair was piled on her head and she felt completely naked. She had some silver eye paint on, but not too much. She didn't want to look like a loose woman.  
  
"Hello. I'm Emilee." Came a voice from behind nearly scaring her to death.  
  
"I'm Xanthe. Are you just as nervous as I am?"  
  
"Yes. All the other girls are calm and relaxed, but I am scared out of my wits!"  
  
"Perhaps we can be scared together."  
  
They stood chatting and glancing at the people around them. Xanthe's gaze stopped on a young man who was standing alone. He was tall and older then she was, but not by much. He had deep brown hair that was a little wavy and was cut to his chin. He had a wild and mysterious look about him and somehow he seemed very familiar.  
  
"Beware of him." Emilee whispered when she fallowed her gaze, "He's the Wildmage's son, very mysterious. The girls love him because of his good looks, but the guys hate him for it. Rumor is that he changes into a wolf and roams around the forest in his misery, for he has no friends. He has the gift and wild magic and is very powerful. Don't get your affairs mixed with his."  
  
"I already have." She said absent mindedly as she walked toward him.  
  
She tapped him on the shoulder and he spun around and she met his gaze squarely. She smiled up at his beautiful, unforgettable eyes and said, "It looks like our paths have crossed, Ira."  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Well, I had to get this up before I went to bed. The idea was nagging at me and wouldn't let me rest before I got this posted. How do you like it? If you read this correctly, you should know whom Aynsley/Ira is.  
  
The names are not made up. Xanthe is Greek. Aynsley is British. Rye is Gypsy. Emilee is Latin. Maya is Hindu. I love www.parenthood.com and it's baby name finder. If you are having trouble with names for your characters, check that place out. R/R! ^_^ 


	4. The Ball Part Two

"Xanthe! I thought that you were common." He sputtered.  
  
"And I thought that you were a wolf, but I guess that makes us both fools."  
  
He sort of laughed at this.  
  
Xanthe was surprised at his voice. She was half expecting him to growl and bark.  
  
"Yes, well now you know."  
  
"Why did you lie?"  
  
"Well, I think it would have scared you off if a wolf just morphed into a naked male human. Don't you think?"  
  
She blushed at the thought of him naked.  
  
"You're right. Are you always right?"  
  
He nodded just like he did when he was a wolf. She laughed. When she stopped they just stood there looking at each other.  
  
"Care to dance?" he asked breaking the silence.  
  
"I can't dance."  
  
"Neither can I."  
  
She smiled as she took his arm as he led her out to the dance floor.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Kel, don't look now, but I think our daughter made a friend." Dom said.  
  
Kel looked over to where her daughter was and nearly laughed. She was dancing with a boy about in his 19th year and they were both stepping on each other's toes. They didn't seem to mind.  
  
"I wonder what they are saying." Diane commented as she walked up to Kel with Numair behind her.  
  
"That's Aynsley? I didn't recognize him!" Kel exclaimed.  
  
"Yes, neither did I. He's dancing with a girl." Numair said in mock surprise.  
  
"Hmm, yes. To our children." Dom muttered.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Who is that dancing with Aynsley?" A girl asked the person next to her.  
  
The crowds grew whispers and were trying to find out whom this mystery girl was.  
  
"Why do I have the feeling everyone is staring at us?" Xanthe asked in a hushed voice.  
  
"Because they are."  
  
"Why?" she asked almost alarmed.  
  
"Because everyone stays away from me. They are afraid of my power."  
  
He spun her, they were getting quite good at this, and when their hands met again, she asked, "Why do they fear you?"  
  
"I am the first one who has ever had both the Gift and Wild Magic. The adults don't, but everyone else does."  
  
"I don't."  
  
"I know."  
  
They dance in silence for a while just enjoying each other's company. It felt so nice to have someone to talk to. To dance with. It was Xanthe who first spoke.  
  
"What do you want to now?"  
  
The song had ended.  
  
"We could go on the balcony where all the people won't stare at us."  
  
"That sounds nice."  
  
He led her out to the balcony.  
  
"Do you know the Kompuerta?"  
  
The Kompuerta was a fast waltz with spins and dips and with was very fun to do.  
  
"My father taught me it when I was a child."  
  
They locked hands and danced. It was a dance that was not used in ballrooms, but rather at the campfire and celebrations. Not too many nobles knew how to do it. It was like they were supposed to be partners. They both spun and stepped perfectly. As Xanthe guessed, he didn't like balls any more then she did.  
  
"What happened to I can't dance?" Aynsley taunted.  
  
"I could ask you the same thing."  
  
"I'm surprised you can move in that thing." He said meaning her dress.  
  
"You want me to take it off?" She teased.  
  
This time it was his turn to blush. They kept on dancing.  
  
"Will you meet me in the forest tomorrow?" He asked.  
  
"Will you be a wolf?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Good, because I like you this way."  
  
"Me too."  
  
He dipped her and the dance ended.  
  
They were both panting for breath as they went to go sit down on the bench.  
  
They then looked at each other. Aynsley's hair was a little damp and was wavier then before and little strands of Xanthe's hair was beginning to break free. They both laughed not sure at what they were laughing at.  
  
  
  
A/N: Ok. I know that this is short, but it is probably the only thing I can post up today. I just got done reading Lady Knight about an hour ago so I am trying to take everything in consideration and I am trying to connect this with the book. I created Maya before I read the Epilogue and it turned out to work nicely. She is about to turn 10. ::WINK WINK::  
  
Later days!!! 


	5. Midwinter Fun

Walking in the forest was comforting. Xanthe let the song of the birds fill her mind. It was amazing that she talked her mother into letting her go. She was wearing a white dress with a navy blue over dress. The white dress was long sleeve, but made out of cotton so it was nice and cool. The over dress was no sleeved. She soon found herself in a cleared out aria that had old stone ruins.  
  
"This was a fort once. Fort Falcon. It was the first Lady Knight's home. It was burned to the ground." Aynsley said from the right.  
  
"How do you know so much?" she asked turning to him.  
  
He grinned, "I just do."  
  
"What do you have in store for us today?" she asked, for she really did want to know.  
  
"We're going to ride to Irontown."  
  
"But I don't have a horse."  
  
"Lucky for you that I have two."  
  
She looked at him and blushed. She half wanted him to only have one so they could ride together. She shook her head of the silly thoughts.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Spending the day in Irontown was great. It was a small, but thriving town. There were al sorts of neat little trinkets. Xanthe was lucky to find two, iron, Yamani lucky cats. One held a glaive and the other was winking and had its paw stretched out. Her mother would love them when she gave them to her in winter.  
  
They both rode back cheerful and they chatted energetically. They soon became really close friends. Even though they'd known each other for only five days, they felt like they'd known each other forever.  
  
Their bond grew as the days passed. Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months snow covered the land and Xanthe and a wolf was seen playing in the snow-very childish. The convict ladies turned their noses on her and went on about their own life. None of them really knew that the brownish- gray wolf was the handsome Aynsley. Nobody knew that they spent so much time together. He was the girls' eye candy. Even though he was dark and possibly dangerous, he had power and that was what they really wanted. The guys were threatened by him and they were glad he was gone most of the time.  
  
As Midwinter grew near the nights and their squires came back for the Ordeal. Kel was teaching Xanthe some new glaive workouts when a red haired knight came up to greet them.  
  
"Still teaching children how to hold a stick?" he said.  
  
Kel whirled around and all of a sudden grew very uncomfortable.  
  
"Hello, Cleon." She said calmly. Her mother was the master of hiding her feelings.  
  
"Who's this little one?"  
  
Xanthe was about to protest that she was not little and that she was probably better at fighting with a 'stick' then him, but something in Kel's eyes told her not to do anything.  
  
"She's my daughter."  
  
This struck Cleon like a board and it finally become clear: Cleon didn't know Kel married and had a daughter.  
  
"Your.....daughter. You got married?"  
  
"You did, so why couldn't I?"  
  
"To who?"  
  
Before this got too personal, Xanthe left the courtyard in search of Aynsley. Instead of finding him she found Emilee.  
  
"Xanthe! There you are! I've been looking for you."  
  
Xanthe sighed.  
  
"You'll never guess who is here!" Emilee squealed.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"The newest black robed mage is here from Carthak!"  
  
"And...."  
  
"And he is in search of a lady!"  
  
"And I'm sure you'll be picked. Can I get through?"  
  
"They are holding a ball in his honor tonight and you are coming with me."  
  
Before she protest Emilee grabbed her by the hand and dragged her into the castle.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Xanthe! You look." Aynsley was at loss of words.  
  
"Don't say anything." Growled Xanthe.  
  
She was in purplish-slivery-gold dress. It was too tight and pushed up her chest aria.  
  
"But you really look...."  
  
"Stop!" She said play slapping him on the arm.  
  
Her hair was braided in some places and then piled on top of her head. She had on silvery-gold eye paint.  
  
"Can you breath?"  
  
"Not really."  
  
"Good. All the more food for me!" He turned and ran to the food table with Xanthe behind him.  
  
When they got to the table Aynsley, picked up some cheese and stuffed it in her mouth. She picked up a carrot and threw it at him. It bounced off his head and landed in is hand.  
  
"Thank you." Said and then ate it.  
  
They both giggled.  
  
"Stop it both of you." Diane said as she walked toward them, "You'd think you were four."  
  
"Sorry mother. She started it." Aynsley said sheepishly.  
  
Xanthe's jaw dropped. "Did not!"  
  
"Stop! This is giving me a headache." Diane said covering her ears.  
  
"Xanthe, will you dance with me?" Numair asked come up from behind.  
  
"Father!" Aynsley complained.  
  
"If it means getting away from him, then certainly." She replied jerking her thumb at her friend.  
  
Diane laughed as Numair led her out to the dance floor.  
  
  
  
A/N: Hello again! I had to get this posted. I will try to upload more tonight. R/R! ^_^ 


	6. Kiss

"So, you and my son have gotten very close." Numair said.  
  
"Yes." Xanthe replied not sure of where this conversation was going.  
  
The conversation ended there and they just danced.  
  
"Numair!" came a voice from behind them.  
  
"Armod? Is that you?"  
  
Numair broke away for her and rushed over to the man. He was as tall as Numair with black hair down to his shoulders. His brown eyes were nearly black. He was very handsome, but he was in mid twenties and was too old for Xanthe's taste.  
  
"You said that Diane was young, but I didn't think she would be this young." He commented making Xanthe blush.  
  
"Oh, no. She is not Diane. Xanthe, this is Armod my old apprentice."  
  
They both looked at each other and locked eyes. Her head felt like it was being poked with a stick, yet she could not look away.  
  
"If you want to see the real Diane you'll have to fallow me." Numair said breaking the glance.  
  
With one quick glance at Xanthe Armod was gone. Rubbing her head she went back over to where Aynsley was.  
  
"Is something wrong?" he asked worriedly.  
  
"No. No, nothing." She lied. She felt light headed as if her head was hallow. Her vision became blurred and she felt very dizzy.  
  
"Xanthe?!" came a far away voice.  
  
"Fine." She whispered.  
  
Everything went black.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Xanthe?" Aynsley asked her. She was outside on the patio lying on the hard, cold bench. She tried to sit up, but failed. Aynsley went to grab her to keep her from falling and his face was inches away from hers. It felt like he was inching towards hers until his pulled away.  
  
"Well, you fainted and I thought cool air would help and it seemed like it did so I'll just go back inside...." He said as he turned to go back into the ballroom.  
  
Xanthe didn't know what made her do it, but she stood up, grabbed him are spun him around and her lips met his in a moment that seemed to last forever.  
  
  
  
A/N: I know!!!!! Very short! Sorry! It was like pulling teeth to get this finished. I am having a big case of writers block! It will probably be a while before I finish another chapter and it will probably be a chapter to my COM fic. Check it out if you want. R/R ^_^ 


	7. Blood

"Poor girl." Emilee said to Armod. She was one of the many girls who surrounded him on the balcony looking into courtyard.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Xanthe. Over there." She said pointing, "It is so sad that she has no friends her age. She only has that wolf."  
  
"Really?" he asked taking great interest in the girl who was getting tackled by a grayish brown wolf, "Has she tried to make friends?"  
  
"Well, I tried talking to her, and she was ok, but then she has been spending more time with that wolf and out in the forest and such. I'm beginning to lose hope with her."  
  
Armod locked eyes with Emilee; "Never give up, for there is hope for everyone." With that he strode away leaving a giggling group of ladies behind him.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Stop! Aynsley! Stop it!" Xanthe giggled.  
  
When she had let her guard down, Aynsley tackled her and was licking her face. The slobber instantly froze one her face. The snow was somehow finding its way into her boots and she was trying to make her way inside.  
  
She flicked his snout playfully and when he was distracted, she ran for the heat of the place.  
  
"Catch me if you can!" she yelled over her shoulder.  
  
She was a surprisingly fast runner and made it to the castle before Aynsley got a starting chance. She was running through a corridor when she smacked right into a man.  
  
They both fell to the floor with a hard thud, for he had been running too.  
  
"So sorry." Xanthe apologized and then looked up to see who it was.  
  
Armod stood and then helped her up. She smoothed out her coat nervously as she tried to avoid his gaze. It was impossible. She soon found herself staring into his deep gray eyes. Again it felt as if a stick was jamming into her, only instead of into her brain, it was like it was poking into her soul. Not liking this at all, she started to tremble.  
  
A growling noise is what brought broke the trance. They both looked down to find a very mad looking wolf, with its hackles up, glaring at Armod.  
  
"Nice seeing you again, Lady Xanthe." He said and then strode away, almost strutting, before Xanthe had the chance to respond. She felt worse then she had after their last encounter.  
  
A worried whine came from below as she swayed on her feet. Before she could register who had made the noise, she fell, as if she was a rag doll, to the floor.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Xanthe knew this was a dream, but it still scared her.  
  
She was standing in darkness. Something liquid pooled around her feet. An unfamiliar smell filled her nose and seeped into her lungs. The only sound that she heard was the sounds of her own shaky breaths. She didn't know where she was. She was cold, hungry, and alone. Her body ached as if it had been put through more then it could handle. A light slowly grew from somewhere and the visions around her slowly began to take form.  
  
She was in a very fancy room with lavish drapes and rugs. It was on one of those rugs that she was standing in a puddle of blood. Her blood.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
She woke up screaming, grabbing at her right side as she sat up.  
  
"Xanthe!" Aynsley ran up to her and grabbed her.  
  
She was in her room on her bed. How she got there she didn't know.  
  
"Aynsley!" she sobbed throwing her arms around him, "Oh, Aynsley! It was terrible! There was blood! So much blood! It was my blood!"  
  
All he could do was to hug her. Something was not right here. In fact, something was horribly wrong.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Armod smiled at himself as he sat in his cushiony chair. His search was over. Xanthe was the one. The one that the ancient prophesies spoke of. The glorious thing was this-nobody knows. She was all his.  
  
  
  
A/N: Short! I know! I know! I like working in short chapters! Sorry! Anyway, writing block is fading! Yeah! ^_^ I will post more soon! Am very stuck on my other fic though. If you have any suggestions for 'A Circle is Round, it has No End' please e-mail me or something! Thanx! R/R!!!! ^_^ 


	8. Love

It was weird, Aynsley thought, his love for Xanthe. She was everything he'd ever dreamed. They way she smiled when laughing at one of his jokes. The way she smiled at him for no reason. She was absolutely perfect, and yet, somehow he knew that the first time when he first met her.  
  
He knew what 'love at first sight' was, but this wasn't it. It was something else, something magical. He knew she didn't have magic, but something in him was immediately attracted to something in her. His head felt like it was in the clouds until the day she kissed him. It was like he fell down into reality and saw her for the first time. The magical bond was gone, but it was replaced by love. Pure love.  
  
He shook his head. This made no sense and it hurt his head to think about it.  
  
"Aynsley?" Xanthe asked knocking on his head, "Is anybody in there?"  
  
"Hmm?" he asked stupidly.  
  
"I was just asking you what you were thinking about. Do you know you sort of glow when you think really hard?"  
  
"No, actually, I didn't. I thought my dad was the only one who did that."  
  
"What were you thinking about?"  
  
"You."  
  
Her right eyebrow arched, a trick she learned from 'Uncle Raoul', "Really?"  
  
"Yes." He said kissing her on the cheek, "really."  
  
They sat on one of the benches in the courtyard. Aynsley's arm was around her shoulders and Xanthe's head was leaning on his shoulder. It was the perfect image of two people in love.  
  
Little did they know, they were being watched.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Look at them down there!" Kel exclaimed.  
  
"We shouldn't watch." Dom commented.  
  
"I know, but look at our daughter! She's in love."  
  
"And so are we. It would be a shame if our love ended because we froze to death our here."  
  
"What are you guys looking at?" Diane asked as she walked up with Numair.  
  
"Look at our children." Kel said pointing to them.  
  
"Awwww!" Diane exclaimed.  
  
"Women." Numair and Dom chorused.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Armod saw his chance and he took it. He fallowed Xanthe into her room and shut the door.  
  
Xanthe spun around hearing the door click.  
  
"I will scream!" she warned.  
  
"Oh please don't." He said approaching her, "I don't want to gag you."  
  
She stiffened unable to move.  
  
"I just want to do one thing."  
  
"And..w-what thing would th-that be?" she asked starting to shake.  
  
"This." He said as he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to him.  
  
His lips met hers and he gave her a very rough kiss.  
  
He pulled away and looked at her strangely.  
  
"There. That wasn't so hard now, was it?" He turned and left a dazed and confused Xanthe behind.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Armod couldn't believe it. What he just did confirmed his suspicion. She really, truly was the One. When he kissed her glow-like presence faded and she looked like a real girl rather then a goddess.  
  
He smiled to himself. Soon she would be his and Tortall would fall.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"He did what?" Aynsley yelled.  
  
"He kissed me."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I don't know." She said touching her mouth, "It hurt though."  
  
"That's it! I have had it with him. He makes you faint two times and now this? I'm going."  
  
"No! Don't go. You'll just make it worse!"  
  
"I'm leaving and that's final."  
  
Xanthe got up and hugged him.  
  
"Please. He is very dangerous. I don't want you to get hurt." She kissed him, "I love you too much."  
  
"But he..."  
  
"Shhhhh. I know what he did because he did it to me, not you. I need to deal with it, not you. Besides, do you really want to leave?"  
  
Aynsley hugged her tighter. "I hate it when you're right."  
  
  
  
A/N: In the next two to three chapters a lot of this will make a lot of sense, but this story is far from over. Well not too far, but you get the drift. Like the title? R/R. 


	9. Prophecy Unmasked

Nothing odd happened all day, but when Xanthe tried to sleep she found she couldn't seem to sleep. The door was taunting her. It was daring her to go out in the hall. Finally giving in she got up and opened the door.  
  
She walked out into the cold, dark hallway. Only one torch was lit and it was at the corner. She walked to it out of curiosity; it was trying to tell her something. She looked around the corner and another torch was lit. Fallow the torches.  
  
She fallowed them to a part of the castle she wasn't familiar with. It seemed darker and creepier. A door was open at the end of the way and she was pulled to it. She was not used to this. It was like she was aware of everything at once. A mouse was searching of crumbs in the kitchen downstairs, a page was up late scrambling to do the last of his mathematics in his room above, but the door was what her senses were buzzing about.  
  
She had never felt like this before. At the beginning of the day she was fine, but after her little meeting with Armod she felt strange.  
  
She slowly walked to the open door and found that the room was empty. As she walked in she saw that there was a very old piece of parchment the desk that was in there. Curious, she walked over and read it.  
  
~The Sense lays quiet in the shadows deep~  
  
~Down in the soul of the One to keep~  
  
~Awaken only by a kiss of love and a kiss of lust~  
  
~Whom is wolf for the One to trust~  
  
~Blood, her blood, will end the war~  
  
~Golden Yellow, the Lady of the Wolf~  
  
After Xanthe finished reading she didn't need to look up to see she wasn't alone.  
  
"Well, well, well. It looks like Lady walked into the trap." Armod said slyly.  
  
After that, it was darkness.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Aynsley anxiously walked down the hallway.  
  
"Lady Kel!" he called seeing the Lady Knight.  
  
"Hello Aynsley." She replied seeing him.  
  
"Have you seen Xanthe?" he asked.  
  
"I was just about to ask you the same thing."  
  
They both stopped and looked at each other in puzzlement.  
  
"What are you two doing?" Dom asked as he walked up to them.  
  
"Have you seen our daughter?" Kel asked her husband.  
  
"No."  
  
"Neither have we."  
  
"What? I don't understand."  
  
"Neither do we."  
  
A blood-curdling scream came from outside.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Xanthe had awoken cold and sore. She realized where she was before she opened her eyes. Being on the top of Needle at midday was frightening.  
  
"I was wondering when you would come around." Armod said, "Don't move. We wouldn't want you to fall off now."  
  
She couldn't move. She couldn't think. She was helpless.  
  
"I hope I haven't scared you." He said approaching her, "You are a tool of war and well," he shrugged, "you are too important to die now."  
  
"Stay away!" she screamed. The wind muffled it, but he understood all the same.  
  
"How are you going to stop me?" he asked touching her face.  
  
A single tear dripped down her face and soon froze. He was right. How could she? Her hands and feet were bound tight.  
  
She didn't reply.  
  
"Good. Now, to make our grand exit."  
  
He picked her up and dragged her to the edge. He pretended like he was going to throw her off, but instead of letting go he just held her over the side.  
  
She screamed.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Aynsley, Kel, and Dom ran out side and the cold winter wind blew at their unprotected bodies. The king, queen, the Lioness, Numair, and Diane soon joined them.  
  
"Xanthe!" Aynsley screamed.  
  
He started to run forward, but King Jonathan stopped him.  
  
"I found her Numair! The One! She's all mine!" Armod yelled from the Needle, his voice projected by magic.  
  
"Nonsense!" Numair yelled back.  
  
"Read the prophecy for yourself! I have her and your pathetic country is now going to fall!"  
  
"What is going on?" Kel asked sharply.  
  
"Aynsley! No!" Xanthe suddenly screamed.  
  
Seconds later, Aynsley sent out bolts of lighting that hit Armod making him drop Xanthe. Before anyone could react blackish-purple flames surrounded her, stopping her fall.  
  
"Nice try, boy, but you'll have to do better then that if you want her back! She's mine and it's going to stay that way!" Armod screamed.  
  
With a big explosion, Xanthe and Armod were gone.  
  
  
  
A/N: You like? FF.N is ticking me off at the moment. Venting out my anger in the story. Writing is a good way to calm down. Anyway-I am thinking about venturing on into Harry Potter land. I have before, but the fics were crap. Hopefully this one will make it. Will post it up tomorrow. Please review it and my other work of arts. (This one too!) ^_^ 


	10. Reaction

"No!" Aynsley screamed as he fell to his knees in total frustration. The snow didn't even faze him.  
  
The Queen grabbed her kids in an embrace as if thinking that they were next. Kel stood and glared at the tower that had caused her so much pain in life and Dom took his tearful wife in his arms. He had never really seen her cry and it pained him to see her this way. Diane walked over to comfort her ailing son. Numair just stood there giving off a slight black glow.  
  
Was Xanthe the girl in the prophecy? Could she be the one? There was only one way to find out.  
  
"Aynsley," Numair said coldly, " have you kissed Xanthe?"  
  
Aynsley looked at his father in shock. Why was he asking him this now?  
  
"If you must know then, yes."  
  
Numair straightened. "Do you know if Armod has kissed her?"  
  
Aynsley shot his father a look of disgust.  
  
"Yes."  
  
Numair froze. "Awaken only by a kiss of love and a kiss of lust...." He whispered.  
  
Aynsley got up and walked over to his father, worried.  
  
"What is going on?"  
  
"You have no idea how much danger Xanthe is in." Numair told him in a voice he hadn't used in a long time.  
  
"We need to help her!"  
  
"There is nothing we can do."  
  
"Like hell there isn't!" Anysley got up to his feet and walked over to his father in rage.  
  
"Listen to me boy! We cannot do anything for her! We must pray that she makes the right choice, other wise we are all doomed."  
  
Aysnley stood there with his mouth open. "I am not going to stand here and wait for her to come back! I love her to much!"  
  
"It's the only thing we can do."  
  
"No, it isn't! I'm going to find her!"  
  
"I am warning you...."  
  
"You can't stop me."  
  
"I can and I must."  
  
Aynsley looked at his mother who was in tears. "Good-bye."  
  
And with that, Aynsley was gone.  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: The hunt begins! Slowly, but surely, I am revising all of the chapters starting with chapter one. Ooh! I know this was short. It will be longer next time!  
  
At this time I would like to thank all of you who have reviewed so far:  
  
Thanx to Bblond07, Lady Katharine Heartspark, Keita, KeladryLadyKnight, Russetwolf713, Felix, Lady Moo, Hyperchick01, Ally, Hoppuschick182 (B182 rocks!), Loony, Krizsta, the person who had no pen name, Crazy Canibalistic Bored Muse, Mystery Warrior Maiden, Me, Silverthorn, Alebaba46, and Snow*flake (Yes, I did get the name from Troy. Wasn't that the sweetest book ever? I love studying the Trojan War! Boiled Squid!)  
  
THANK YOU ALL!!! (Tell your friends!) HA HA HA! 


	11. Carthak Forces

Xanthe woke up with a jump. She had just seen Aynsley disappear. Where was he going? Why had she even seen him? She was sure it wasn't just an ordinary dream. She had smelt the smoky odor his hair.  
  
Of course it was no surprise that she found herself in the fanciest room she could have ever imagined. Subconsciously she knew she was already there.  
  
She had slept on a four-poster bed with a royal purple bedspread. The mattress felt like it was made from a cloud, but it was actually feathers from a swan. She was on silk, lilac sheets that felt smooth against her skin. She was still wearing her blue cotton dress, but it was a little worse for wear.  
  
She opened her eyes.  
  
It shocked her when she saw that her mental picture was right. How was this happening? Why was this happening? Why was Carthak so humid? It was making her hair frizz!  
  
CARTHAK?!  
  
She threw off the silk sheets and jumped to the perfect marble floors in frustration. Her feet smacked the hard stone floor and great needles of pain shot into her feet.  
  
Before she could let out a curse she sensed somebody was approaching her room.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Armod knocked on the large oak doors, they were the only things keeping him from the beautiful Xanthe. Not only was she the tool for mass destruction, she was quite fetching. Perhaps he would make a wife out of her, but first he had to get her to trust him.  
  
The door swung open and a round-eyed Xanthe was in the open archway.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"If I were a poor excuse of a person, where would I be?" Aynsley asked himself. He had really only transported himself to his room so he could pack.  
  
Then it all came to be too clear. Carthak! Of course! I was only like him that he would run away back to his home. He was just about to transport himself there when the door busted open.  
  
"If you even think about leaving I will personally tan your hide." Numair said in a booming voice.  
  
"You cannot stop me. No one can." Aynsley smoothly repeated.  
  
Diane shoved past her husband and marched right up to her son. She grabbed his ear.  
  
"You are so blinded by love, you can't even see what is really happening." She said fighting back tears.  
  
"Ow! Mother!" Aynsley complained.  
  
She only tugged harder.  
  
"Who ever Armod works for, it is not for the Emperor Kaddar. Armod must be working for Orzorn supporters and until we find out who they are, you can not do anything."  
  
"But mother!"  
  
"Don't 'but' me, young man. Are you willing to risk your country for her? Are you willing to put us all at war just so you can get her back? He is a black mage, Aynsley!"  
  
"I'm stronger than him! I have the Gift and Wild Magic."  
  
"But you lack control." Numair chided, "You can not start a battle with out thinking up a plan."  
  
"And how would you know this?' Aynsley asked in a very sour mood.  
  
"Because," Numair said in sad sort of voice, "They did the same thing to me. They took Diane away from me."  
  
Aynsley closed his mouth. He had obviously lost the fight. He dropped his bag.  
  
"What should we do?"  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Xanthe is in Carthak! How quaint. Just thought I'd post this up to keep you from wondering. Again this is SHORT! I like working in SHORT chapters. SORRY! Oh well! Will hopefully post up more by Friday.  
  
BTW the little trip to Harry Potter Land was bad. I'll just stick to Tamora Pierce and Lord of the Rings. Maybe I'll do a crossover.... 


	12. Trust

"What are you doing here?" Xanthe asked uncomfortably.  
  
"Why do you ask questions to which you already know the answer?" Armod replied.  
  
She took a step back.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
'What did I tell you about asking questions?'  
  
Xanthe jumped. She didn't hear his voice with her ears. His voice was in her head.  
  
"What is happening to me?" she cried.  
  
'Think back to the prophecy.'  
  
"The Sense?"  
  
'Yes."  
  
"I've never heard of it."  
  
'That's because you are the only one who has it.'  
  
"Wait. I can read minds, see things in my dreams, become aware of everything around me...."  
  
'Every day you grow stronger. Pretty soon you will be able to manipulate minds. Make people think, say, do what you will. Imprison people in their own thoughts. In time you could be the most powerful person in the world.'  
  
"How do you know all this?" she asked, horrified.  
  
"Because," he said aloud, "I am the only one whom you can trust."  
  
Xanthe's mind flashed back to prophecy.  
  
~Awaken only by a kiss of love and a kiss of lust~  
  
~Whom is the wolf for the One to trust~  
  
She was the One. Two people had kissed her. (Aynsley had kissed her more than once.) After Armod had kissed her she passed out and had a vision. Again the haunting words of the prophecy flooded into her thoughts.  
  
~Blood, her blood, will end the war~  
  
Her hands went to her side. It had hurt when she woke up after Armod's kiss. What could this all mean? War? What war? Whose side is she on? Which kiss from whom was the one of love and the one of lust? Why is she, as always, caught in the middle? Why were the stupid chambermaids downstairs talking about her?  
  
She rubbed her head in confusion. She was so aware, so alert. All these feelings and sounds she hand never heard before poured into her mind making it nearly impossible to think. Her mind was racing.  
  
"Will you help me?" She blurted out desperately.  
  
"Will you trust me?" He asked extending his hand.  
  
"Yes." she said as she stepped towards him and accepted his offer.  
  
A tingly feeling crept up her spine as she touched his hand. A sharp pain, like the blade of a sward, tore through her side. She doubled over in pain.  
  
"Are you alright?" Armod asked worried.  
  
"Yes." She lied, straightening herself up, "Perfectly fine."  
  
She fallowed him out the door.  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: I updated!! Wee! Let see if I can break 100 reviews. If I do, there will be much partying for every one! r/r!! 


	13. Truth

"What are you saying?" Aynsley asked his father in shock, "Are you suggesting that Xanthe is some kinds of..."  
  
"She is a walking time bomb. Every minute she grows stronger. She has no control on her power. She won't know how to handle it. Sooner or later she is going to explode." Numair said worriedly.  
  
"We have to get her back." Kel said determinedly, "We have to."  
  
"But what can we do?" Dom asked pacing the room.  
  
"Wait. Diane has sent some spies down to Carthak and has informed the Emperor on the situation." Numair told them.  
  
"I need to go talk to Diane." Kel said as she turned to leave. Dom went with her leaving Aynsley and Numair alone.  
  
A few moments of silence passed before anybody said anything.  
  
"What will happen to Xanthe when she.....explodes." Aynsley asked.  
  
"When I said 'explode' I didn't mean blowing up. I meant that the magic that she has is so strong that it might very well change her."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"Who knows? Her body could change. Her looks could change."  
  
"What do you mean her body and looks could change??"  
  
"Xanthe's body isn't built to contain the magic that she now has. Her body has to adjust somehow. It is very well possible that she might never be the same again.  
  
"I have to go to her. I have to make sure she is alright."  
  
"We all want to, but we just can't risk it. You can't go."  
  
"I'll be back in a flash. I wont approach her. I'll just see her, make sure she's alright, and then come back to report."  
  
"But, son..."  
  
"Did you let anybody stop you when you went to get mother back?"  
  
That hit a nerve. Numair could say no to that. It was true, nobody stopped him and he got her back, but with consequences. To every action there is a reaction. No matter what consequences will arise and we'll have to hope that they are good ones.  
  
Numair looked his son in the eye and saw him as a man of twenty-one for the first time.  
  
"Be careful."  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: I updated woohoo. Anyway, thank you all so much!!! I broke a hundred reviews!! That day I never thought could possibly happen did and I want to thank all of my devoted fans for stick with me when I didn't review for months. I promise I wont let that happen again.  
  
Anyway, away from my stupidness, I don't think I have ever mentioned Aynsley's age before. If I have already, which is very well possible, he is supposed to be 21. Tootles!! 


	14. The Missing Ring

A week had passed and Armod was teaching Xanthe meditation and how to control her magic. She could now walking in crowds and not be overwhelmed by noise of the city. She now only heard things when she wanted too. She saw things when she wanted too. The only things she had no control over was her dreams.  
  
She kept dreaming of a palace in a northern kingdom. There was a man there, but he had recently left to go look for something, like a quest. He could disappear and appear at will. He could even change into a wolf. She had no clue why she kept dreaming of him. She didn't even know his name.  
  
Xanthe didn't seem to know a lot these days. All her memories seemed to be slipping from her. She was losing who she was. She brought this up at dinner one night.  
  
"Do you know why I can't remember anything?" she asked.  
  
Armod looked stunned. "You mean you don't know who I am?"  
  
"Well I know your name I Armod and you are my friend, but..."  
  
"Your friend?" he asked astonished, "I am your husband!"  
  
Xanthe mind, for the first time, went blank. She was numb. Marriage? She looked at her left hand and found no ring on her ring finger.  
  
"But I have no ring."  
  
Armod set his utensils down on the table making a loud clink.  
  
"You mean you lost your ring too?"  
  
She didn't know what to do. She didn't like prodding, but she felt like she had to this once.  
  
'I can't believe she lost her wedding ring. We have been married for a year and tomorrow is our anniversary..."  
  
She stopped listening to Armod's thoughts. It was true. She was married. She felt like crying but she didn't know why. Why was she so sad? She like Armod, but the thought of being his wife? The rational part of her brain started to speak up. You're married to a great guy who has major political power in Carthak. He's rich, good looking, and he is taking care of you, why say no to such a good thing? But no matter how her mind tried to nag her, she still couldn't shake off her sorrow. Had she been secretly hoping to meet the wolf man? Does she secretly like him? This all too much to take in.  
  
"May I be excused to my chambers?" she asked.  
  
"I still wish you would move into my chambers. We are after all husband and wife."  
  
Xanthe froze. "Let me think about it, but for right now may I please be excused?"  
  
"Alright. We will go into town and find you a new ring tomorrow. Get some rest. I'll see you in the morning."  
  
Xanthe stood up and almost ran back to her room, but remembering her manners she walked out of the dining hall. She flung herself on her bed and sobbed late into the night. A wolf near by join her in her sorrow and howled with her long after she had cried herself to sleep.  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Felt like adding another chapter today. 


	15. Frantic Thoughts

Armod couldn't believe that Xanthe actually thought that they had been married for a year. He's only had her for a week and now she thinks she his wife, which is perfectly fine with him. So now he was out with Xanthe, his "wife", and they were looking for a ring to replace the one she never had.  
  
Xanthe was walking alongside Armod and forced herself not to pry into his head. She was not in the best of moods and her mind kept wandering away from her. She kept thinking of her dream last night. She was looking at rings with Armod and he picked out real fancy one that had a huge diamond on it. It was all too fancy for her really, but trying to be a good wife she accepted in with a forced smile. As soon as she put it on, blood spilled from her side. She woke up grasping it in pain and she was all covered in sweat. What could it have possibly meant?  
  
"Here we are my sweet." Armod said as they stepped up to a very familiar looking booth.  
  
It was the booth from her dream. The same guy was running. This was getting a little too real.  
  
"Here try this one on."  
  
He offered a ring to her. It was gold set with a big diamond on it. It was the ring.  
  
She screamed and slapped his hand and it fell to the dirt. Armod raised his hand as if to strike her, but Xanthe ran away before he even had time to deliver the smack. She ran crying. Why couldn't she remember her past? Why should she have to trust a man who was about to abuse her in public who claimed to be her husband? What was happening to her?  
  
The branches were tearing her silk gown, and her arms and legs were getting cut. Her hair was a tangled mess and she had now realized that her flimsy sandals had fallen off.  
  
Not watching where she was going she crashed into something and fell to the ground in a daze.  
  
"Are you alright?" someone was asking.  
  
She couldn't answer. She couldn't speak. Her mind was racing and was trying to figure out what had just happened.  
  
"Here grab my hand and I'll pull you up."  
  
She couldn't move either.  
  
Suddenly she felt strong hands around her waist and she was floating up to his face.  
  
"There. That wasn't so hard...."  
  
The man trailed off as she looked into his eyes.  
  
"Nice." She spoke, "The wolf man is hear."  
  
She was unconscious before she even hit the ground.  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Ok, I want everybody who wants me to e-mail them when I post up another chapter to review and leave their e-mail addresses and say this: "E- MAIL ME WITH UPDATES!" then I will e-mail you. Please make sure that you type that little deal and be sure to e-mail you with updates. ^_^ 


	16. Remember

It took Aynsley a while to sort what had just happened. He had been walking through the forest on his way to the next town when a girl just smacked right into him. He nearly fell over from the force of her blow. She had looked just like any other Carthak woman. Her hair was piled on top of her head in their style and her clothes were right on too. The only thing though was that it was made of violet silk making the girl reek of royalty.  
  
As soon as he met her eyes he knew.  
  
It was Xanthe.  
  
He had found her.  
  
Now he was nurturing her, still in the forest, trying to get her to wake up. He took his smelling salts out of his mage kit and waved them under her nose. She started to cough, then gag. She was waking. He put the salts away.  
  
"Are you alright?" he asked gently holding her shoulders.  
  
"I'm fine...I think...now that you mention it I'm really not sure." She said in a hushed voice.  
  
"What do you mean by that?"  
  
She got a worried expression on her face as she slowly sat up. "I was out with Armod and then my dream started to come true and then I ran from him....but before I did he tried to hit me."  
  
"Hit you?! He tried to hit you?!"  
  
"How do you know him?"  
  
"Xanthe, remember? Ever since he came to Tortall he's been no good to you, to us."  
  
"Us? How do you know my name?"  
  
"Please tell me you remember?"  
  
"No, I'm sorry."  
  
He took I few moments to take all of this in.  
  
"Do you remember anything? Anything at all?"  
  
"I'm sorry, I don't remember you."  
  
He stood up and paced.  
  
"I dream about you though."  
  
He stopped and turned to her. "What did you say?"  
  
"For the last week now, I don't know who you are or even your name, but I dream about you. You're from the northern country, Tortall."  
  
"And so are you. Your mother and father are worried sick. They want you to come back. I want you to come back."  
  
"Why do I mean so much to you? We have only just met."  
  
"Xanthe."  
  
"Why do I feel something when I'm with you? We have only just met."  
  
"Xanthe."  
  
"Xanthe!!" came a call from behind. It was Armod.  
  
"Meet me here tomorrow at the sun's highest peak." Said to her in a panicked voice.  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Speak of me to no one."  
  
She nodded again. Then man grabbed her hand, gave it a comforting squeeze, and vanished.  
  
"Xanthe!" Armod panted out of breath, "I've found you."  
  
He staggered over to her and helped her to her feet.  
  
"What happened?" he asked catching his wind.  
  
"The crowd's thoughts became to much for me. I had to get out." She lied, "I fainted out here and awoke when I heard you call my name."  
  
"Lets go back." He said looking around suspiciously.  
  
She nodded and let him lead the way back.  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Another chapter done! Wee! Remember, type "E-MAIL ME WITH UPDATES" in your reviews if you want me to do so. As for editors....not sure about that one, but I think I'll keep flying solo on this one. 


	17. Many Meetings

"Aynsley, are you sure?" Numair asked.  
  
"Positive. You should have seen her. She didn't know who I was. She didn't even know my name." Aynsley whispered.  
  
"Her powers must have wiped out her memory. Her body and mind had to make room for her magic and that was how they did it."  
  
"Will she get it back?"  
  
"I don't know"  
  
"She said she dreamt about me." Aynsley blurted out, "She knew I could change into a wolf."  
  
"Although she didn't know you she knew you....in a way" Numair thought aloud. He ran a finger along his nose.  
  
"Exactly. I am meeting her tomorrow. I'm bringing her back."  
  
"Hold on a moment."  
  
"Armod doesn't know we are meeting. He doesn't even know we met today. By the time he figures out what is going on Xanthe will be save with us."  
  
"Aynsley, it is not that simple.'  
  
"You got Daine back."  
  
"Yeah, after she completely ruined part of the Emperor's castle. To every action...."  
  
"There's a reaction. I know. I know. You have to act in order to react."  
  
Numair rubbed his nose.  
  
"Are you prepared to fight for her?"  
  
"I am prepared to die for her."  
  
"Well, let us try to make sure that it never comes down to that. Come on."  
  
Numair turned and walked to the door that lead out of his office.  
  
"Where are we going?" Aynsley asked.  
  
"To make an affirmative plan of action of course. You didn't think that you could just waltz right in and snatch her, possibly causing war, without running it by the King first? I'll alert Raoul and the others of an emergency meeting. You will go fetch Dom and Kel. We will meet in the throne room."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Notice that I spelled "Daine" right. I will fix the other chapters when I have time. I am very sorry for spelling that wrong and am sorry for any mental stress it may have caused you, but please stop reviewing saying that I spelled her bloody name wrong. I acknowledge my error and will fix it in the near future.  
  
About the name "Aynsley": My Social Studies teacher always writes quotes up on the overhead every class period and we right them down in our notebooks. Well, one day there was quote that caught my eye.  
  
"Success comes to those who make it happen, not those who let it happen."  
  
A man named Aynsley Smith said the quote. My teacher went on about how British of a name Aynsley Smith was and I kept thinking how cool of a name Aynsley was.  
  
So the whole character of Aynsley is based around that one quote. Aynsley's good will and determination all started with that one line, so I just have one thing to say:  
  
THANKS A BUNCH MR. WILLADSEN!!!!!! 


	18. Bread and Cheese

"You're awfully quiet tonight, sweet. Is anything the matter?" Armod asked.  
  
"No, I am quite fine, thank you." Xanthe replied.  
  
"You haven't touched your plate."  
  
"I'm just not hungry, that's all. May I be excused?"  
  
Armod smiled. "Of course. You've had a busy day. Get some rest."  
  
Xanthe got up and started to walk away.  
  
"Oh, Xanthe." He said.  
  
She stopped and turned towards him. "Yes?"  
  
"Any answers to my room question?"  
  
She sucked in a deep breath. "No. Not yet." She gave a weak smile and then walked out of there as fast as she could.  
  
By the time she had bathed, changed into her nightgown, and got comfortable in bed, she was starving. She had only eaten breakfast.  
  
Her stomach growled.  
  
"You sure picked a fine time to speak up. Now I am out of my clothes. I'm indecent."  
  
Actually, your nightgown covers more than your dresses do, her stomach argued.  
  
Suddenly realizing how foolish it was arguing with her stomach on wither she was properly dressed or not, she got out of bed and headed to the door.  
  
Besides, she thought, I can tell if someone is coming.  
  
She sent her power through the building. The coast was clear. After carefully tucking into ledges and hiding behind suits of armor whenever somebody passed by, she made it to the kitchen. All the cooks and kitchen help were sleeping far away in their quarters.  
  
She grabbed two loafs of bread and two wheels of cheese, wrapped them in a cloth, and headed back to her room.  
  
She was almost there when a group of guards were coming her way, and fast. She quickly ducked into the nearest room trying to hide from the men. After they had passed, Xanthe was about to leave when she finally took a look around her and realized she was in Armod's office. She didn't know what was happening, but it was like she was being pulled to the desk, his desk. There were mountains of papers, which turned out to be maps. Maps of Tortall, it's capital Corus, Pirate's Swoop, and the King's Castle. The map of the castle caught her eye. She sucked in her breath as she saw on the second floor in the third wing; there was a room that was marked "Xanthe's Room".  
  
Desperately trying to find answers, she dug deeper. She found sketches of her. Ones of her and the Wolf Man. In the sketches they were playing, hugging, even kissing. There were lists that had supplies marked that would suit thousands men. Some of the maps had X's over cities or some of the villages were circled.  
  
Something fell to the floor.  
  
As she bent to pick it up, she felt the presence of Armod. He wasn't in the room, but he was near.  
  
Xanthe grabbed the paper and her food the she hand placed on the desk and ran to her room being careful not to be seen. Why did she feel like a prisoner in her own home, if this even was her home? What about the map of the king's castle?  
  
She locked her door and she entered her room panting from running so hard and so long. She sat on her bed and started to eat her bread and cheese not caring if she got crumbs on the silk sheets.  
  
Never fret on an empty stomach. That is what her mother had always told her.  
  
Wait.  
  
Her mother?  
  
Where did that come from?  
  
Xanthe looked at her half eaten meal. What was it about bread and cheese?  
  
Suddenly memories started to flash before her.  
  
Someone, her mother, placed a plate of bread and cheese in front of her, only she, Xanthe that is, was a young girl.  
  
Someone else, her father maybe, walked into the kitchen complaining about someone named Meathead. Little Xanthe walked over to him and gently shoved chunks of bread and cheese into his mouth.  
  
"Never fret on an empty stomach." She chided pretending to be stern.  
  
Her mother laughed as her father said ruffling her hair, "This is why you are called...."  
  
"Meathead the Younger." Xanthe blurted the name out loud.  
  
She wasn't in her childhood house any more. She was back in her room in Carthak.  
  
She quickly devoured the rest of her meal hoping not to have another flash back. Too much had happened today. She was tired. All she wanted to do was to sleep it off. Slip into blackness and awake and deal with the rest of her life one day at a time.  
  
As she got under the covers, something prickly scratched her leg. There was a huge rip in her dress. She picked up the object and found out it was a crumpled piece of paper; the one from Armod's office. She unfolded it and gasped at its contents.  
  
It read: ATTACK TORTALL. WOMEN. CHILDREN. SPARE NO ONE.  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: I think I'm having e-mail problems if you are supposed to get update e- mails and aren't getting them tell me in your reviews. Sorry if I'm keeping you hanging.  
  
I would like to personally thank Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd for their wonderful commentary for the Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. I was thinking of what food Xanthe should take while I was watching the cast commentary of LOTR: TFOTR when they started talking about bread and cheese. So, if you are reading this guys, thanks. 


	19. Author's Notice

I realize that this is not a chapter, but I feel like I need to send out this notice.  
  
I know I haven't updated for a long time, and I am truly sorry, but I have gotten some rather nasty e-mails where people have gone off and asked me repeatedly why I haven't updated.  
  
To save you all time, here it is:  
  
I have been super busy with the school year ending (June 2nd) and have been working really hard to pull my B's into A's and my A's into even higher A's. I have been swamped by extra credit projects and huge end of the year projects. I have been real busy with being the Assistant Director for the school play and all of those good things that involve me to try and work with people who find personal joy in trying to make me have a mental break down. I have to go all of that with a smile on my face.  
  
Very hard to do.  
  
I also was putting more effort into my smaller, easier to write fics such as Miles Away From Living and The Color Red. I've finished Miles Away and am almost there with TCR. Once summer starts and I am at a point where 100 different things aren't demanding my attention, will I start up this story and my Princess Diaries story, not to mention my TCR sequel.  
  
That might happen, though, after the first two weeks of June though on account of my brother leaving for college and all of my friends are getting confirmed into my Catholic church. I will try my hardest to have something up by June 7th, but who knows?  
  
Thanks for all you incredibly patient people who have stuck with me for the longest time. In the meantime, feel free to check out my other fics or whatnot.  
  
Thanks again.  
  
MMAJ ^_^ 


	20. Memories

Aynsley paced nervously in the forest's clearing.  
  
She was late. Xanthe was never late. Something must have happened. She could have been caught. Her life could be at stake and her me was pacing like an idiot.  
  
He stopped, suddenly considering an alternative situation. What if she chose not to come? Perhaps she chose to be with Armod instead of him.  
  
The snapping of twigs made Aynsley turn around.  
  
And there she stood, in all her beauty. Her silky hair was in a high ponytail that started on the top of her head. Aynsley blushed seeing her in such a revealing dress. It was red and was sleeveless making him wonder how it stayed up. It was made of a velvet of sorts bringing out the richness in her eyes. The dress was tight. It clung to her body making it hard to maneuver in the woody terrain.  
  
"Xanthe." He breathed as he rushed up to her engulfing her in a hug.  
  
Before she could ask the Wolf Man how exactly he knew her name, his lips were pressed against hers. A familiar mad rush of heat and passion flowed through her veins and suddenly she knew. She remembered everything.  
  
"Aynsley!!" She exclaimed pulling away. Her hands flew to her mouth, "I remember!! I remember!!!"  
  
She twirled around, filled with the excitement of a child, but it was short lived. She instantly tripped over her feet tearing her dress as she fell to the ground.  
  
"What in the name of the Goddess am I wearing??!"  
  
Aynsley couldn't help but laugh.  
  
"Sure laugh now. We'll see who's laughing after I get out of this blasted thing."  
  
"I like it."  
  
"You would."  
  
She slowly got up to her feet and straightened out her dress, wiping as much dirt off as it as she could. She tried to regain her dignity.  
  
"I want to go home." She said with a vulnerability that was new to him as it was to her, "I've had enough. Our country is in danger and here I am dressed up as some woman you'd pick up in a tavern. I'm so tired and I'm sick of being lied to. Being tricked. Take me home, Aynsley. Please?"  
  
He nodded happy to comply.  
  
A/N: Not much of a chapter, I know, but at least it is something. I'll update soon, I promise. 


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